Mail catching and delivering device.



No. 891,006. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908. P. w. RENNER. MAIL GATCHING AND DELIVERING nsvmn.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1908.

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N0- 891,006. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

F. W. RENNER. MAIL GATOHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED APE. 29, 1908.

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No. 891,006. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

' F. W. RENNER. MAIL CATGHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED A2310, 1908.

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APPLIOATION FILED APR. 20, 190B.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. RENNER, OF CREIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEON S. BRISKER, OF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL CATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1908.

Application filed April 20, 1908. Serial No. 428,075.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. REN- NER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Creighton, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Catching a'nd Delivering Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to mail catching and delivering devices, designed for mail cars and similar conveyances.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide positive and reliable means in connection with a car for simultaneously catching and delivering mail without injuring mail bags or endangering persons lives; second, to provide a mail catching device that can be easily and uickly placed in an operative position; third, to provide a novel mail delivering device for safely depositing mail bags at a predetermined oint irrespective of the rapidity or speed 0 the mail car; and fourth, to provide a simple and effective mail catching and delivering device by which one or more ba s of mail can be caught or delivered.

Iattain the above objects by a device that will be presently described in detail and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a .cross sectional view of a'car equipped with my device, illustrating the same in connection with a station equipment, Fig. 2 is a plan of my device with the car partly broken away and partly in section, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a car equipment artly broken away and partly in section, i ustrating the base of the device, Fig. 4 is an elevation of a portion of the same, Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the same, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the movable standard of the car equipment, Fig. 7 is an elevation of the bag su porting racks, Fig. 8 vis a similar view, part y broken away and partly in section of a station equipment, Fig. 9 is a plan,

artly broken away and partly in section of a iiook used for catching mail bags, and Fig. 10 is a modification of the same.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a car having oppositely disposed doorways 2 and 3. Upon the floor of the car 1 and extending from one doorway to the other is the base of the car equipment device, this base comprising heads 4 connected together by side rails 5, said side rails being bolted to the ends of the heads 4, as at 6, and to the floor of the car, as at 7. Secured to the heads 4 by screw bolts 8 and lying paiallel with the rails 5 are longitudinal racks 9, the object of which will presently ap ear.

Adapted to move back and orth in the base of the car equipment is a truck 10, said truck being supported by flanged wheels 11 upon the rails 5.

Revolubly mounted upon the truck 10- is a standard 12 provided with right angular arms 13 and 14, the object of which will presently appear. The standard adjacent to the truck 10 is provided with a guide block 15 for guiding a yoke 16 and a pin 17, the former being adapted to engage in one of the racks 9, while the latter is adapted to engage in the plate 18 provided therefor and fixed to the trucks 10. The plate 18 is provided with openings to receive the pin 17 and prevent the standard 12 from rotating while the yoke 16 is adapted to lock said standard and said truck in any position to which it may be adjusted in the base of the device. The yoke 16 is connected to a rod 19 extending up wardly through guides 20 and 21 and connecting by links 22 to a pivoted lever 23. The rod 19 is provided with a washer 24 beneath the guide 21, and interposed between said washer and the guide 21 is a coil s ring 25, said s ring encircling the rod 19 anci normally ho ding said rod in a depressed position whereby the yoke 16 will engage one of the racks 9.

The pin 17 is connected to a rod 26 guided by a bracket 27 carried by the standard 12, said rod connecting by links 28 with a lever 29, pivotally connected to thestandard 12. The rod 26 is normally held in depressed position similar to the rod 19.

The guide 20 serves functionally as a handle for rotating the standard 12 when the pin 17 and the yoke 16 are elevated through the medium of the levers 23 and 29.

The arm 1 3 intermediate its ends is provided with a right angular extension 30, while the arm 14 terminates with a right angular extension 31 directly beneath the extension 30. The extension 30 is connected to the arm 13 by a pivot pin 32 housed by'a casing 33 suitably secured to the arm 13. The casing is formed to allow the extension 30 to swing upwardly and a spring 34 is employed upon the pivot pin'32 forswinging said extension! upwardly, the spring being held under tension when the extension is ina horizontal position. The object of thisconstruction will presently appear.

mail bags 38 in a vertical position, said having their ends provided with eyelets 39 and rings 40 the ringsjbeing loosely mounted upon the racks 37-, whereby they can be easily removed from said racks. 4 a

To prevent accidental displacement of the bags 38 from the racks 37, I provide each rack with a pivot spring held latch 41, said latch being adapted to engage a beveled lug 42 and prevent the rings 40 from accidentally sliding from the'racks, and at the same 1 time allowing the rings to be slipped upon theracks, when the device is being prepared to deliver mail to a station. 1

Accidental displacement of the links 36 is p prevented by spring pressed retainers 43 mounted upon the ends of the extensions 30 and 31.

The racks '37 are connected by an outwardly extending frame 44, by which the racks and the mail bags carried thereby are] removed from the extensions 30 and 31.

The end of the arm 13 is provided with a casing 45 and a hook46, said hook having a notch 47 for an inwardly swinging latch 48,

said latch'being pivotally mounted in the} casing 45 and retained in the notch 47 by aw The spring 49 located in the casing 45. hook 46 is employed for catching mail from a station, as will presently appear.

The station equipment comprises posts 50 and 51, the post 50 being provided with a stationary arm 52 having acasing 45 and a hook 46 similar to the arm 13, and positioned opposite, whereby a train moving in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 2 will deliver the mail bags 30 by the frame 44 en gaging in the hook 46 and strip the racks 37 from the extensions 30 and 31. The post 51 which is located a' short distance from the post 50 is provided with an upwardly swinging L-shaped arm 53, and a stationary L- shaped arm 54, said arms being constructed similar to the extensions 30 and 31 for holding racks and bags similar to the car equip ment.

Operation: When the device is'not in use, the truck 10 is moved adjacent to the doorway 2, and the standard 12 rotated to swing the device into the car, the doorway 3 being of a suflicient width to permit of this swinging movement. In order to rotate the standard 12, the levers 23 and 29 are elevated to release the standard and after the standard has been swung and these levers can'be released, the pins 17 engage in the plate 18 locking the standard, whereby the" arms 13 and 14 can freelyswingwithin the car. during the movement of the train. Therhai'lb'ags '38 are arranged upon the racks 37 within the car and the racks placed in position before The outer ends of extensions 30 and 31 are curved and tapered, as at 35, for supporting the links3'6of U-shaped bag racks 37'. These U-shaped bag racks are adapted to sup ort ags the arms 13 and l' 4 are'swung out of the doorway 3. Assuming that the mail bags are in position as illustrated in Fig. 1 o'fthe draw- .ing's, the ear equipment will first deliver thereby fromlbeeoming accidentally detached after being caught. 1

. It is apparent from the novel construction ofthe car equipment, that the device can be used upon either side ofa car and suitable 3 means can be provided inconnection with the station equipment, whereby the racks 3,7 and the mail bags, 38 can be easily placed'in; position.

. My invention is susceptible to such varia-;

.tions as are permissible by the appended *claims.

. Having nowdescribed I claim as new, is V, I

1. The combination with a, car having oppositely disposed doorways, of a car equipment, said equipment consisting of a base my invention what arranged in said car, said base comprisingjrails, racks, a truck movably mounted upon said rails; a standard revolubly carried by i said truck, a spring'pressed yoke carried by said standard for engaglng saidrack, a spring,

{pressed pin carried by'said standard for ocking said standard with relation tosaid; truck, arms carried bysaid standard, an up.

iwardly swinging extension carried by; one

:of said arms, a stationary extension carried by the other of said arms, spring pressed,

racks detachably connected to said extensions and adapted to support a plurality of" said posts, a hook carried'by said arm and adapted to engage the frame of said car;

clasps carried by the ends of said extensions,

mail bags, a frame connecting said racks,

spring pressed latches carried by said racks,, a hook carriedby one of said arms, a spring; pressed latch arranged to close said hook, a

station equipment, said station equipment; comprising posts, anarm carr ed by one of equipment, an upwardly swinging I Lv-shaped arm carried by, theotherof said posts, a sta-: tionary L-shaped arm carried by the same,

post, racks detachably connectedto said arms for supporting mailbags, and a frarnef connecting saidracks and adapted to be engaged by the hook of said car equipment, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a car having op positely disposed doorways, of a car equipment, said equipment comprising a base, a truck movably mounted upon said base, a standard revolubly carried by said. truck, a spring pressed yoke carried by said standard for engaging said base, a spring pressed pin carried by said standard for locking said standard with relation to said truck, arms carried by said standard, an upwardly swinging extension carried by one of said arms, a stationary extension carried by the other of said arms, spring pressed clasps carried by the ends of said extensions, racks detachably connected to said extensions and adapted to support a plurality of mail bags, a frame connecting said racks, spring pressed latches carried. by said racks, a hook carried by one, of said arms, a spring pressed latch arranged to close said hook, a station equipment, said station equipment comprising posts.

3. The combination with a car, of a car equipment, said equipment comprising a base, a truck movably mounted upon said base, a standard revolubly carried by said truck, means for locking said standard with relation to said truck, arms carried by said standard, extensions carried by said arms, spring pressed clasps carried by the ends of said extensions, racks detachably connected to said extensions and adapted to support a plurality of mail bags, a frame connecting said racks, spring pressed latches carried by said racks, a hook carried by one of said arms, a spring pressed latch arranged to close said hook, a station equipment, said station equipment comprising posts, an arm carried by one of said posts, a hook carried by said arm and adapted to engage the frame of said car equipment, an upwardly swinging L-shaped arm carried by the other of said posts, a stationary L-shaped arm carried by the same post, racks detachably connected to said arms for supporting said mail bags, and a frame connecting said racks and adapted to be engaged by the hook of said car equipment, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a car, of a car equipment, said equipment comprising a base, a truck movably mounted upon said base, a standard revolubly carried by said truck, means for locking said standard with relation to said truck, arms carried by said standard, extensions carried by said arms, racks detachably connected to said extensions and adapted to support a plurality of mail bags, a frame connecting said racks, spring pressed latches carried by said racks, a hook carried by one of said arms, a spring pressed latch arranged to close said hook, a station equipment, said station equipment comprising-posts, an arm carried by one of said posts, a hook carried by said arm and adapted to engage the frame of said car equipment, an upwardly swinging L-shaped arm carried by the other of said posts, a stationary L-shaped arm carried by the same post, racks detachably connected to said arms for supporting said mail bags, and a frame connecting said racks and adapted to be engaged by the hook of said carequipment.

5. The combination with a car, of a car equipment, said equipment comprising a base, a truck movably mounted upon said base, a standard revolubly carried by said truck, means for locking said standard with relation to said truck, arms carried by said standard, extensions carried by said arms, racks detachably connected to said extensions and adapted to support a plurality of mail bags, a frame connecting said racks, a hook carried by one of said arms, a spring pressed latch arranged to close said hook, a station equipment, said station equipment comprising posts, an arm carried by one of said posts, a hook carried by said arm and adapted to engage the frame of said car equipment, an upwardly swinging L-shaped arm carried by the other of said posts, a station ary L-shaped arm carried by the same post,

.racks detachably connected to said arms for supporting said mail bags, and a frame connecting said racks and adapted to be engaged by the hook of said car equipment.

6. The combination with a car, of a car equipment, said equipment comprising a base, a truck movably mounted upon said base, a standard revolubly carried by said truck, means for locking said standard with relation to said truck, arms carried by said standard, extensions carried by said arms, racks detachably connected to said extensions and adapted to support a plurality of mail bags, a frame connecting said racks, a hook carried by one of said arms, a station equipment, said station equipment comprising posts, an arm carried by one of said posts, a hook carried by said arm and adapted to engage the frame of said car equipment, an upwardly swinging L-shaped arm carried by the other of said posts, a stationary L-sha ed arm carried by the same post, racks etachably connected to said arms for supporting said mail bags, and a frame connecting said racks and adapted to be engaged by the hook of said car equipment.

7; The combination with a car, of a car equipment, said equipment comprising a base, a truck movably mounted upon said base, a standard revolubly carried by said truck, means for locking said standard with relation to said base, arms carried by said standard, extensions carried by said arms, racks detachably connected to said extensions for supporting a plurality of mail bags, a frame connecting said racks, a station equipment, said station equipment comprising posts, a hook supported by one of said posts for engaging the frame of said car equipment, arms carried by the other of said posts, racks detachably connected to said arms for supporting mail bags, and a frame connecting said racks and adapted to be removed by said car equipment.

8. The combination with a car, of a car equipment, said equipment comprising a base, a standard movablysupported by said base, means for fixing said standard with relation to said base, arms carried by said standard, racks detachably supported by said arms and adapted to support mail bags, a frame connecting said racks, a station equipment, said station equipment comprising posts, means carried by one of said posts for engaging the frame of said car equipment, and means carried by the other of said posts for supporting mail bags to be collected by said car equipment.

9. A mail catching and delivering device embodying a car equipment and a station equipment, said car equipment comprising a movable su port, arms carried thereby, racks detachab y connected to said arms for supporting mail bags, a frame connecting sa1 racks, means for fixing said standard with relation to said base, said station equipment comprising posts, a hook carried by one of said posts for engaging the frame of said car equlpment, racks detachably carried by the other of said posts for su porting mail bags adapted to be collecte by said car equipment.

In testimony whereof I afIiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK W. RENNER.

Witnesses:

J. E. SHIELDs, OSCAR W. BRISKER. 

